NGOs in Transition
Intervention by the CBSS Commissioner on Democratic Development
H. E. Helle Degn
at the 3rd
"Baltic Sea NGO Forum"
Turku, Finland
8 May 2003
Ladies and Gentlemen, NGO representatives,
It is a special pleasure honour for me to address this Forum, and I am very pleased to see so many participants.
During the last decade, the number of NGOs has grown significantly in our region. But also the importance of NGOs is growing. From my point of view, there are a number of reasons for this:
Therefore, in my capacity as Commissioner on Democratic Development, I have supported and encouraged the development of a strong NGO environment in the Baltic Sea region. Since the first Baltic Sea meeting took place in Copenhagen in March 2001 I have, whenever possible in my ongoing dialogue with the Governments of the 11 Baltic Sea States put forward the proposal to institutionalise the holding of Baltic Sea NGO Fora in order ensure, that the Baltic Sea NGO Fora will become a regular annual event of networking and that sufficiently funding is set aside to allow a broad range of NGOs to participate.
I am consequently pleased to notice, that the very holding of this third Baltic Sea NGO Forum indicates that this vision of ours partially have come true. However, the holding of the Baltic Sea Forums are still largely dependent on ad-hoc funding from the country having the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.
I would like to congratulate the organisers of the three NGO Fora for the significant achievements of yours, but I would, however, like to encourage all of you to continue the struggle for a more permanent Forum.
I would like to notice, that in order to raise a voice and to be heard - a certain strength is required. Regrettably, many good NGO initiatives never come to the attention of the public, due to limited resources, weak organisational skills and lack of funding.
In this context, I would like to reiterate my advice about the need to enhance co-operation among NGOs and to create umbrella organisations. I am aware, that this process is taking place in several of the Baltic Sea countries, but I would like to encourage and speed up the process.
These and many other issues are deliberated in detail in my working paper "Democracy in Transition" on the working conditions of NGOs in the Baltic Sea region, which is available in print outside this hall. It is my intention to carefully listen to your discussions and the outcome of this Forum, and on the basis of this I will draft a list of recommendations, which I will present to the Governments of the eleven Baltic Sea states.
When we speak about the working conditions of NGOs in the Baltic Sea region, I am happy to notice that much progress have taken place. The issues which was at the heart of the debate in the beginning of the 1990s, such as the criteria for creation of NGOs, does no longer constitute major problems in the vast majority of countries. Having said this, it is still unnecessarily complicated (bureaucratic) or costly to register NGOs in a few countries. And in some countries, NGOs are now exempted from taxation.
Besides this, I would like to touch upon the importance that NGOs can have access to information from the state. The old saying that knowledge is power still seems to be true. In order to ensure a pluralistic society, where many voices can be raised when decisions of major importance are taken, NGOs should have a good access to information.
I also would like to reiterate, that NGOs should not forget to look at themselves. Sometimes, the very same NGOs, which criticises the governments, are not transparent and accountable themselves.
However, the paramount problem for the majority of NGOs in the Baltic Sea region remains to be the funding. Funding for activities, funding for a small secretariat to ensure the daily work, funding for co-operation with other NGOs at national and international level. I am aware, that for several of the NGOs present here today, it has been difficult to collect the funding required to participate in this Forum.
In my recommendations to the Governments of the Baltic Sea States I will therefore reiterate the importance of allocating funding for an active and vibrant NGO sector.
The future of Baltic Sea Co-operation
Let me say a few words about Baltic Sea Co-operation. 11 years ago, far-sighted politicians founded the Council of the Baltic Sea States in order to promote co-operation, exchange of information and lessons learned between all countries of the region of the North of Europe. Since then, the Council have developed into a highly relevant and very pragmatic and practical co-operation on a broad range of demand driven issues - including co-operation on environmental issues, on communicable diseases, on organized crime - and on human rights and democracy.
In the context of the approaching EU enlargement, some people have claimed, that Baltic Sea Regional cooperation would not be needed any longer.
I couldn't disagree more! On the contrary, I would like to argue, that in an enlarged European Union of 25 members, there is a even stronger need for regional co-operation. With more members, each member state will have to act on their own. To underline this argument, I would advice you to take a look at the proposals for a future European Union put forward by the European Convention, according to which small nations would be disadvantaged in the decision making process.
Only if we pull together, we can ensure and attract the necessary funding for a continued and sustainable development of this region.
I do hope, that this could be a part of the message from this meeting to the Ministerial Session of the CBSS on 10 June in Pori here in Finland.
In this context, it should also be kept in mind that one of the unique features of the Baltic Sea co-operation is, that Russia is a full and equal member. In the Council of Baltic Sea States we can make policies with Russia - and not as the EU use to do - to make policies on Russia.
In my opinion, the mutual relations with Russia still have a lot of unexploited potential. Only recently, it has become possible to start international co-operation with the federal entities - the regions - of the Russian Federation. And it would be most erroneous to discontinue this positive trend.
At this NGO Forum, you will discuss and address many important topics such as social exclusion and participation, environmental protection and a sustainable lifestyle, human rights and gender equality as well as co-operation between NGOs and authorities. I take your very presence at this Forum as a strong indication of the relevance of continued and strengthened co-operation within this broad range of issues in all directions across the Baltic Sea.
I would like to remind, that we have witnessed much progress in the Baltic Sea region over the last 10 years. Some of the younger democracies of the region have transformed to a degree, that they are hardly recognisable anymore. We should be happy and proud about this significant and peaceful progress.
However, I am obliged to say, that much remains to be done, and many facilities and policies remain to be implemented. This I can see myself, when I visit the countries of the region - and the absent economic development, the social difficulties and the disparities between rich and poor are especially visible at the countryside, I can assure you! And I also learn about all of this from the complaints, which I receive in my capacity as a regional ombudsman -like institution.
Therefore, I still see a need for a regional mechanism to protect human rights and net least to promote the democratic development of our region.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to make it clear that the EU Enlargement - which I very much welcome - will not solve all problems of our region.
EU has no mechanism or institution to develop the democracy or, for that sake, to handle minority questions. The EU does neither have the money, nor the institutions to deal with all issues. I very much hope, that you are aware of this.
Terrorism and Human Rights
In the beginning of my presentation, I mentioned that the new treats of terrorism have affected our everyday life as well as the role of civil society.
First of all, terrorism pose a threat to all of us as citizens. A terrorist attack could theoretically hit any of us, disregarding our nationality, position, income etc.
As I mentioned, the citizens also have an important role to be alert to what is going on in society, in the metro, in the bus etc.-, which is, to prevent terrorism.
After 11 September, several Governments of the region drafted anti-terror legislation. In some cases, these important pieces of legislation which often granted the executive branch of power sophisticated tools to control citizens, were rushed through the Parliaments at considerable speed, without the necessary time to consult with independent human rights experts and NGOs.
In order to focus on the possible consequences of the post 11 September legislation in our region, I have launched a working paper on terrorism and human rights. At this NGO Forum, I furthermore took the opportunity of being so many NGOs gathered in one place, that I this afternoon conducted a workshop on anti-terrorist measures and their compliance with International Human Rights Law.
The main focus of my speech was that the right balance between security and prevention measures and human rights is struck. Tighter democratic control on the bodies combating terrorism is a necessity, since accountability and transparency should stand at the forefront of any democracy.
I strongly believe that the participation of civil society in the monitoring and scrutinising process is not only desirable, but also a part of the actual solution. There is a democratic contract between governments and civil society that has to be safeguarded by both parties. Fighting terrorism is not merely the task of Governments but should involve civil society, NGOs as well as ordinary non-organised citizens. I am certain this would result in a greater feeling of security and participation. Thus I have urged the participants in the Working Session to mobilise against intolerance, to form a constructive opposition against discriminatory and selective approaches in the fight against terrorism.
Power in transition
There is a constant flow of money, good and services across our borders, done by large international companies. In recent years, we have also witnessed an increasing international co-operation between states. Usually, the international co-operation is among governments, and takes place at the ministers´ level. Either there is no, or in best case, only a weak parliamentary dimension of this co-operation.
In order to focus on the challenges, which the increased international co-operation and globalisation as such are causing to the traditional division of power, I have prepared a book on "Power in Transition", which I look very much forward to present in June this year.
The book focuses on the transitions from old-fashioned to more modern and democratic system of division of power, which has taken place in for example Finland in recent years.
I foresee similar discussions on the national composition of power, - not least in the future EU member states of this region - and in my book I recommend to study the experiences and lessons learned in the Baltic Sea countries, in order to facilitate a debate on the powers of the legislative and the executive branch. This is very necessary, as the democratic deficit is growing in several of our countries.
In my opinion, this democratic deficit underscores the need for a strong co-operation at the level of civil society in all our states.
With these words, I would like to wish all of you a successful Forum here in Turku.
Thank you very much for your attention.